South Africa vs Australia Live Cricket Score, 2nd Test, Day 3: Proteas end Day 3 with lead of 369

And that’s the end of another exhilerating day of Test cricket between South Africa and Australia. South Africa enjoy another day of domination, as they take firm control over the second Test at Port Elizabeth. They are 369 runs ahead, and will look to gain a winning position on Day Four. Here’s the day report. Join me tomorrow again.

South Africa 192/4 l Overs 47H Amla 93(126), de Kock 9(24)

And that’s the end of Day 3. Another exhilarating day of Test cricket, dominated by the Proteas. They now lead by 369 runs and are in firm control.

South Africa 183/4 l Overs 45H Amla 88(117), de Kock 5(21)

Amla and de Kock are just biding their time now, till the umpires call it a day. Amla could have scored a real quick hundred though. Is he missing out on the opportunity?

South Africa 173/4 l Overs 41H Amla 82(102), de Kock 1(11)

The lead for South Africa is past 350 now. It has been exceptional session for them, with Amla leading the way. Australians have fell short.

South Africa 167/4 l Overs 37H Amla 77(90)

Mitchell Johnson gets the breakthrough again. de Villiers has to go this time. His brief knock comes to an end.

OUT! AB de Villiers 29(39)

South Africa 145/3 l Overs 34H Amla 70(84), de Villiers 18(27)

Amla and de Villiers are carrying along here without any fuss or worry. The Australians seem like they are just going through the motions, while Amla is hitting some glorious boundaries.

South Africa 128/3 l Overs 30H Amla 59(69), de Villiers 12(18)

South Africa’s lead is now past 300. How much are they targeting by the end of the day?

de Villiers is going for the kill here. He is all class even in demolition mode.

South Africa 113/3 l Overs 26H Amla 55(62), de Villiers 1(1)

Peter Siddle finally gets the breakthrough. du Plessis gets an unplayable delivery. He couldn’t have done anything about that ball.

AB de Villiers now comes to the crease.

OUT! Faf du Plessis 24(35)

South Africa 110/2 l Overs 24H Amla 53(56), du Plessis 24(30)

Amla brings up his 28th fifty in Test cricket in style, with a four. He is looking gorgeous out there.

South Africa 105/2 l Overs 23H Amla 48(51), du Plessis 24(29)

The 100 is up for South Africa in real quick time. Both these batsmen are racing along here. Amla is closing in on his fifty as well.

South Africa 98/2 l Overs 22H Amla 46(49), du Plessis 19(25)

Ryan Harris comes back into the attack now. Meanwhile, Amla and du Plessis are scoring at over 4 runs an over. The 50-run partnership is also up between them. Magnificent batting display by these two. Amla especially — he has played some of the most gorgeous drives you will ever see.

South Africa well and truly on top.

South Africa 75/2 l Overs 19H Amla 28(37), du Plessis 14(19)

Amla and du Plessis are carrying along fine here. They are rotating the strike well, and the Aussies look a little tired out there. You wonder why.

The lead’s past 250 now.

South Africa 60/2 l Overs 16H Amla 25(30), du Plessis 2(8)

And we are back now with the last session of the day. Mitchell Johnson starts off the last session for Australia.

And that’s Tea on Day 3. South Africa are still in control of the match. They have been in control for two days now. Can Australia come back? Can they find a hole to drive through? Here’s the Tea Report.

South Africa 58/2 l Overs 15H Amla 24(27), du Plessis 1(5)

And that’s Tea on Day 3. South Africa have strengthened their lead to 235 runs, although they have lost two wickets.

Morkel ends the Australian innings. Harris the last man to go. This has been an exceptional comeback by the South Africans after the drubbing in the first Test so far.

Let’s see how they bat second time round.

OUT! R Harris 26(26)

Aus 235/9 l Overs 55R Harris 20(17), P Siddle 7(16)

Ryan Harris is scoring a few useful runs for the visitors here. Any amount of runs at this stage will be extremely valuable to the Aussies.

Aus 210/9 l Overs 51R Harris 4(4), P Siddle 0(5)

Morne Morkel does the job yet again in this innings. He gets the big wicket of Steven Smith straight after lunch. This is brilliant stuff from the tall paceman.

Final man, Peter Siddle is in now.

OUT! S Smith 49(72)

Aus 209/8 l Overs 50S Smith 49(70), R Harris 4(4)

And we are back with the second session of the day now. How long can Australia bat for here?

And we are back now for the post-lunch session.

South Africa might look to enforce follow-on upon Australia here. The visitors still have Steven Smith in the middle, who can push that total to something respectable. Here’s the lunch report.

Aus 205/8 l Overs 49.2S Smith 49(70)

Mitchell Johnson’s brief innings comes to an end, as Duminy takes off his off-stump. And the umpires have called it lunch on Day 3.

South Africa will be delighted with their performance so far.

OUT! M Johnson 27(23)

Aus 204/7 l Overs 49S Smith 48(69), M Johnson 27(22)

Oh, what a contest between Mitchell Johnson with the bat and Morne Morkel with the ball. Johnson is getting a dose of his own medicine.

Morkel hits him straight on the crest on the helmet. Rattling stuff.

Aus 195/7 l Overs 46S Smith 43(55), M Johnson 23(18)

Mitchell Johnson is scoring some valuable runs here. Two boundaries of that over. He is taking the attack to Duminy.

Aus 170/7 l Overs 41S Smith 39(42), M Johnson 2(1)

Oh, Dale Steyn! you beauty! Brad Haddin is castled by the sharpest of inswingers. His middle stump is missing.

Mitchell Johnson is the new man in.

OUT! B Haddin 9(25)

Aus 168/6 l Overs 40S Smith 39(42), B Haddin 9(20)

This is bad news for South Africa. Wayne Parnell has pulled a hamstring, and he is walking off the field here.

Graeme Smith now has a bowler less. Dean Elgar completes the over.

Aus 157/6 l Overs 38S Smith 31(35), B Haddin 6(15)

Both the batsmen have got a life each now. Two catches dropped — South Africa will be unhappy with their fielding so far. Australia could very easily have been 8 down here.

Aus 146/6 l Overs 35S Smith 21(18), B Haddin 5(14)

Dale Steyn now comes into the attack. He is right on the money here. Brilliant length, making the batsmen play and he is getting the cherry to talk. This is wonderful bowling from the South African pacers.

And Dale Steyn is getting some reverse swing here.

Aus 146/6 l Overs 34S Smith 21(18), B Haddin 5(8)

South Africans are using the short ball ploy against Smith and Haddin from Morkel’s end, and then exposing them to some beautiful swing bowling from Philander. This is good captaincy by Smith. Meanwhile Smith has played a couple of glorious drives on either side of the wicket.

And Morkel is clocking some serious speeds here. He is continuing from last night for sure.

Aus 133/6 l Overs 31S Smith 12(7), B Haddin 1(1)

South Africa get off to the perfect start here. Nightwatchman, Lyon’s resilience comes to an end. Morkel gets his man.

Brad Haddin now comes to the crease. Australia will require a huge partnership from these two men now.

OUT! N Lyon 15(43)

Aus 128/5 l Overs 30N Lyon 15(42), S Smith 8(3)

And that’s the big wicket! Philander gets David Warner. Full delivery outside the off-stump, Warner edges and taken easily at 1st slip by Graeme Smith.

Steven ‘crisis-man’ Smith is the new man in. Can he rescue his team again?

OUT! D Warner 70(78)

Aus 120/4 l Overs 29D Warner 70(75), N Lyon 15(42)

Morne Morkel has started off right on the money here. He is trying to get into the rib cage of the batsmen.. Graeme Smith has kept both a silly point and a short leg.

Aus 116/4 l Overs 26D Warner 69(73), N Lyon 12(26)

Vernon Philander starts proceedings. David Warner starts off with a boundary off the first over.

Hello and welcome to the live updates of Day Three of the second Test between South Africa and Australia at Port Elizabeth. Australia will resume from their overnight score of 112 for the loss of four wickets, after the hosts put up a huge first innings total of 423, courtesy of centuries from AB de Villiers and JP Duminy.

The South African pacers were right on the money from ball one of the Australian innings, as they rattled the visitors’ top order pretty cheaply. Comeback paceman, Wayne Parnell was star of the late show by picking up the wickets of Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh in his very first over.

We are in for a crackerjack of a day of Test cricket. Stay with us as play starts in a few minutes.

First Published on February 22, 2014, 1:54 pmLast updated on February 22, 2014, 9:36 pm